Star Journal

Top Menu

  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe

Main Menu

  • Local
    • News
    • Business
    • Schools
    • Law & Order
    • Arts & Ent
    • Wedding Planner
    • Viewpoint
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Outdoors
  • Wellness
  • Classifieds
    • View Ads
    • Place Ads
  • Our Legals
    • Legal Ads
    • Statewide
  • Obits
  • Lake View
  • Northwoods NOW
  • Living On The Lake
  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe

logo

Star Journal

  • Local
    • News
    • Business
    • Schools
    • Law & Order
    • Arts & Ent
    • Wedding Planner
    • Viewpoint
    • Sports
      • Sports News
      • High School Sports Scores
  • Covid 19
  • Outdoors
  • Wellness
  • Classifieds
    • View Ads
    • Place Ads
  • Our Legals
    • Legal Ads
    • Statewide
  • Obits
  • Lake View
  • Northwoods NOW
  • Living On The Lake
LocalMultimediaSchoolsVideo
Home›Local›Class project becomes outdoor classroom

Class project becomes outdoor classroom

By StarJournal
June 6, 2015
2498
0
Share:

An ongoing project of students at James Williams Middle School has turned into much more.

By Jared Raney

Students had a chance to enjoy the trails they helped create on their last day of school.

Students had a chance to enjoy the trails they helped create on their last day of school.

Two years ago, the science department at James Williams Middle School came up with an idea. The idea was simple; to create an ongoing, outdoor project that would give the kids a chance to learn hands-on.
What resulted is a learning environment they call an interpretive nature trail. Today the trail takes up a large swath of the forest on the western side of the school.

This spring the 7th and 8th grade classes added to the project. It now features a perennial garden, vegetable patch, as well as bat and bee habitats.

“It really kind of grew, from the start of the project, really quickly grew into a large project,” said 7th grade science teacher Lisa Swaney. “The goal is to eventually make this into just our outdoor classroom… I think it’s been really rewarding and amazing.”

Though it started small, it has evolved into something much more than a simple class project. It’s an interactive ecosystem, one that Swaney and the other science teachers hope to share beyond their classes.

“I’m hoping the nature trail, that people will use it, because I really do think that this has become a community project,” Swaney said.

Several grants made the vision possible, two from the Hodag Schools Foundation and a LEAN grant from Oneida County.

The project is still ongoing—the vegetable garden will be cared for by students through the summer, and in following years the science department will maintain, add onto and learn from the space.

“It’s nice, it’s a change from sitting in the classroom all day,” said Gwen Swierczynski, a student in Mrs. Swaney’s 7th grade science class. “You also feel like you are a part of something big.”

“It’s really fun getting to see it all grow,” said Madison Carpenter, another student in the class.

On Wednesday, the students spent their last day in science class wandering the trails and, as Swaney said, appreciating what they’ve done and taking pride in their accomplishment.

The trail system has a series of informational plaques put up by students.

The trail system has a series of informational plaques put up by students.

Students designed and created the perennial garden from scratch.

Students designed and created the perennial garden from scratch.

Previous Article

Kiwanis student of the month

Next Article

Living Well: Support your local farmers ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Related articles More from author

  • Business

    Letting go is key

    February 5, 2015
    By StarJournal
  • Arts & EntMultimediaPhoto GalleryVideo

    The Rainforest comes to Rhinelander

    April 27, 2015
    By StarJournal
  • Latest NewsLocalNews

    The Seed Library

    April 27, 2015
    By StarJournal
  • Latest NewsLocal

    Is Wisconsin moving backward in recycling?

    April 27, 2015
    By StarJournal
  • LocalMultimediaNewsPhoto GallerySchools

    Crescent school unplugs for Earth Day

    April 27, 2015
    By StarJournal
  • Latest NewsLocalWellness

    Worst allergy season ever?

    April 27, 2015
    By StarJournal

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

About Us


Star Journal is published by Multi Media Channels LLC, N2919 County Road QQ Waupaca, WI 54981.

  • Contact Us
  • Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
  • Subscribe
Copyright © 2020 Multi Media Channels LLC.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted without the prior written consent of Multi Media Channels LLC.
×